


Divine

by Hovercraft79



Series: Hecate's Summer Playlist [8]
Category: The Worst Witch (TV 2017)
Genre: F/F, Hecate's Summer Playlist, Hicsqueak, Mildred loses her cool, Panic Attacks, Pippa loses her cool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-21 12:53:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15558141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hovercraft79/pseuds/Hovercraft79
Summary: As Hecate works to strengthen her relationships with Pippa and Mildred, she learns that everything comes with risk. Can she take the chances she must to get the life she needs? Can Mildred overcome her own doubts and fears?





	Divine

**Author's Note:**

> Like it or not, summer must come to an end for us all. School is starting soon – for Hecate, Mildred and me. I hope I’ve finished this series in a way that leaves everyone glad they joined me for the ride. This installment picks up immediately after the last one ends, so it’s best if you’ve read the others. Please note that the rating for this installment has gone up to mature.
> 
> The title this week comes from a song by Blondie.
> 
> Thank you to everyone for reading and leaving your wonderful comments. This has been a wonderful experience, and while the series Hecate’s Summer Playlist may be complete, I don’t think I’m finished playing with Hecate and Pippa in this particular universe. After all, surely the school year will bring some new adventures.
> 
> Finally, by this point, you all know how grateful I am to Sparky for proofreading this series. On the occasion of the last regular installment, I wanted to tell you a bit about her. Sparky is my very straight, very proper co-worker and best friend. A few months ago, she had never heard of The Worst Witch. Ten weeks ago, she had never heard of fanfiction, femslash, Hicsqueak or Hackle, tumblr, AO3 or any of this stuff that we all love. But. She went all in, no hesitation, giving up every Saturday night for two months to help me get stuff posted. She listened to track after track on my ipod to help me pick the songs for each entry. She signed up for tumblr and AO3 and started reading other’s work so she’d know what it should be (and heaven forgive me, I gave her in the crooks of your body i find my religion by hihoplastic as her first one. She loved it.) Most importantly, she made me promise that Julie Hubble would live. For all these things, I am truly thankful.

Pippa closed Hecate’s bedroom door quietly behind them. Biting her lip, she watched Hecate move stiffly into the room, arms wrapped protectively around her midsection.

“I should have known better than to…think that Mildred could ever see me as…” Hecate’s shoulder’s shook as she blew out a hitching breath. “I should know better…” She couldn’t deny the way her heart ached from Mildred’s rejection. She couldn’t believe she’d let herself care so much that it could hurt.

“Hecate.” Pippa caught up with her a few steps in, wrapping her arms around Hecate from behind. “Ethel Hallow got under the girl’s skin, that’s all. Mildred loves you. She’ll be so excited once she understands what you and Julie have done. She’s just…stressed out. And thirteen.” Pippa felt Hecate’s stomach muscles jump as she grunted her agreement. “You heard Julie – she still wants you to be Mildred’s magic mum. And why wouldn’t she?” Pippa gripped Hecate’s hips and turned her around. “You saved her tonight, Hiccup. You found her, you fought for her, and you saved her.  And Maud and Enid.” Pippa skimmed her hands across Hecate’s waist, bringing them to rest just below her ribcage. “You fought a duel for her.” She stood up on her tiptoes and brushed her nose against Hecate’s. “You were so hot,” she growled.

Pippa’s words jolted Hecate to her core. She pulled Pippa against her, hands twisting the fabric of her nightgown. “You’re insane, Pippa Pentangle,” she murmured into Pippa’s hair. It smelled like lavender.

“Crazy for you, that’s for sure.” Pippa trailed her fingers up and down Hecate’s spine, finally settling low on her hips, fingers resting on the swell of Hecate’s backside. “It’s going to be all right, darling. We’ll sort it all tomorrow.” She let her hands slide further down, enjoying the hitch she felt in Hecate’s breathing. “Come on, Hecate. Let me tuck you in to bed.”

Hecate held Pippa even closer. “You’re staying, aren’t you?” She asked, peeking shyly out from under her lashes. “I’d…like for you too…if you want…”

“I want. In fact, I know we haven’t talked about it, specifically, but I’d like to stay every night until I absolutely have to go back to Pentangle’s.” Her heart thumped so hard in her chest she was sure Hecate would be able to hear it. “Would that be too much?”

A rare, full smile lit Hecate’s face. “That would be…perfect, Pipsqueak.” Her heart quickened its beat.  Pippa wanted to be with her. “I want to be…close to you…after all these years. I never imagined… we’d get to this place.”

“I thought all I’d ever do was imagine it, Hiccup.  Did you know that the first thing I do when I wake up is look at my ring?” Pippa wiggled the fingers of her left hand in front of Hecate’s face. “I have to check. To make sure that…that we’re real, I suppose. Even when you’re sound asleep next to me, I still have to make sure.” She looked away, embarrassed. “It’s silly, I know.”

Hecate didn’t think it silly at all. She’d have said so if she could force the words around the lump in her throat. Instead, she closed the space between them, resting her head on Pippa’s shoulder and holding Pippa’s left hand to her heart. She wasn’t sure how long they stood together, marveling at the raw _satisfaction_ she felt every time they held each other. Warm tears soaked through the shoulder of her t-shirt where Pippa nuzzled into her neck.

A warm breath tickled the hairs on Hecate’s neck as Pippa finally pulled away, eyes red-rimmed but smiling. She wiped at the wet spot on Hecate’s shoulder. “Sorry,” she whispered, “but, not really.” She tugged at Hecate’s t-shirt. “May I change you into your pajamas?” Hecate nodded so Pippa waved her hands. The hedgehog t-shirt and joggers disappeared and were replaced with an elegant set of purple silk pajamas. “I think these are one of my very favorite things that you wear.” She let her hands glide up Hecate’s arms and across her shoulders, savoring the feeling of the silk, the way it warmed wherever she touched it. Leaning in, she brushed her lips gently against Hecate’s, lightly at first, then harder when Hecate began to respond. Hecate’s arms snaked around her waist, hands fisting in the loose fabric of Pippa’s nightgown. “I love you,” Pippa murmured against Hecate’s lips. “C’mon, darling, I think I fancy a bit of a cuddle.”

Hecate let herself be led to the bed, smiling indulgently as Pippa turned down the covers on her side – her side! – and eased Hecate onto the mattress. She tucked the blankets up tightly and smoothed the hair from Hecate’s forehead, replacing it with a kiss before moving around to her own side.

It only took a moment for Pippa to crawl in and scooch over until she was tucked against Hecate’s back, breathing in the rosemary and mint of her shampoo. “You smell nice.” Her fingers trailed through Hecate’s hair and over her shoulder and down her arm. It took every ounce of restraint to keep her hand from tracing every dip and curve of Hecate’s silk-clad form. Patience may be a virtue, but Pippa was feeling anything but virtuous at the moment. Still, she sighed. It wouldn’t do to push. They would move at Hecate’s pace – no matter how glacial that pace sometimes felt to her.

Pippa threaded their fingers together and held their linked hands aloft, so she could see them over Hecate’s shoulder. Their rings glinted dully in the lamplight. Pippa noted the passage of time was evident in their hands, but she didn’t care. Her blunt pink nails complemented Hecate’s long black ones in a way that was unexpected, but still wholly right. “Our hands fit together perfectly, don’t you think, Hiccup?”

Pippa’s breath gusted against her neck, raising goosebumps down her arms. “Mmm-hmm,” she murmured as she pulled said hands to her lips, feathering light kisses along Pippa’s knuckles. Her fingertip traced the edge of Pippa’s…engagement ring? Promise ring? Gift? One more bit of uncertainty in a summer that left her feeling like she was trying to stand on the deck of a boat in the middle of a storm.   _Just ask her_ , she heard Dimity’s voice saying in her head. Fear, serrated and sharp, sliced through the warm haze she felt in Pippa’s arms. _Ask her._ The answer terrified her. _Ask. Her._ “Pippa? May I ask you a question? I’m afraid you’ll think me foolish.” Hecate rolled onto her back as Pippa shuffled down to give her enough space. Hecate rested their joined hands on her stomach.

“I could never think you foolish, my love.” Pippa nuzzled into her shoulder, a contented sigh tickling her throat.

Hecate chuckled softly, the endearment steadying her nerves just enough. “You haven’t heard the question.” She pressed their hands more firmly into her stomach. “These rings, Pip, what do they actually mean? I…I can’t seem to work it out…not with any confidence.” She forced herself to keep breathing, telling herself that she could live with any answer, she just needed to know.

Pippa felt Hecate bracing herself for the answer. “They can mean whatever you want them to mean, Hiccup.” A cold finger of doubt wriggled its way into Pippa’s head. Had she pushed Hecate too far, too fast? “And that’s not a foolish question at all. In fact, I rather think it’s awfully important, darling.”

“Then, please…it’s not…what I want them…” Hecate closed her eyes and breathed in for a count of five and then out again, trying to formulate what she needed to say. “I find I need to know what you want them to mean. I don’t want to make any assumptions.”

“No, we’ve already lost enough time because we assumed we knew what the other felt. I’m proud of you for asking, Hiccup. It’s very brave.” Pippa pulled her hand free and rolled away, causing Hecate to gasp and reach for her. “It’s all right.” She shifted until she was sitting, cross-legged, next to Hecate, her knee pressed against Hecate’s side. She slid her hand back into its place, entwined with Hecate’s, resting on her stomach. “I wanted to be able to see you properly, that’s all. I’m not going anywhere.” Ever again, she thought, but kept herself from saying it, fearful that Hecate would shut down. “I suppose I shouldn’t have told Mother that I intend to marry you someday without talking to you about it first.

“I’m just so afraid of asking for more that you’re ready to give, Hiccup. If it were up to me, I’d marry you tomorrow. But next week or next year or…or never if you don’t want to…” she said, her voice breaking. Pippa blinked back tears. “As long as we have this,” she held up their joined hands, “I can be happy.” Her forehead puckered as she gave a half-shrug. “So, you see…it really is about what you want them to be, darling.”

Hecate stared up at her, blinking furiously as she processed Pippa’s words – and the feelings behind them.

She thought about the time since the Spelling Bee. It had been Pippa who’d insisted they try to rebuild – not that Hecate didn’t want the same thing – but it had been Pippa who’d made that first overture.

She remembered Pippa, swooping in to protect her and Cackle’s when Ursula Hallow had tricked the Magic Council into removing Ada from her position as Headmistress. Pippa, who had only been trying to protect Hecate but had been met with nothing but anger and confusion and had stayed by her side anyway.

She thought about the mirror calls and maglet messages and weekend visits. Almost all of them initiated by Pippa, seldom herself. It’s Pippa who calls her ‘darling,’ who hugs, who touches. It was Pippa who kissed her that night in the woods, smelling of woodsmoke and tasting of s’mores.

She thought about decades worth of letters. How Pippa had read her darkest thoughts and lowest moments – the times she could hardly survive the shame and guilt brought on by her own foolishness. And she had loved her all the more because of it.

She thought of Pippa, her truest defender, be it from words or magic.

All of these things, Hecate thought, that Pippa has done for her, for them, all the while asking only one thing: please don’t leave me.

Checking her hand every morning for proof that their love was here and real.

Hecate looked up at Pippa and, for the first time, saw herself in Pippa’s eyes. Pippa is afraid, too, she realized. Pippa has her own doubts and insecurities – fears of being shunted aside. Again.

She could also see the hope and the want when Pippa looked at her, as though she, Hecate Hardbroom, was everything she had ever wanted – and she was terrified Hecate might disappear.

“Please say something, darling,” Pippa whispered. “Anything.”

And suddenly, Hecate knew what to say. Knew that, in this one thing, she could take away Pippa’s fears. If only she could be brave enough to say it. She had to be brave enough to say it.

For then.

For now.

For always.

For Pippa.

This witch would make things go her way. Hecate scrambled awkwardly into a seated position, never letting go of Pippa’s hand. Once up she slid off the side of the bed onto the floor, until she was on her knees, seated back on her heels. Her heart felt like it had forgotten how to beat. Somehow, during the rare occasions when she had allowed herself this fantasy, it never involved her on her knees in her bedroom at Cackle’s wearing a pair of pajamas.

“Pippa Pentangle…I have wanted to be with you since…since before I even knew what it meant. I want this,” she pulled Pippa’s hand to her lips and kissed it, “for the rest of my life and for whatever comes after that.” Pippa clapped her free hand over her mouth and scooted towards the edge of the bed. “Next year, next month…tomorrow…I want to be with you.” She took a deep, steadying breath. “Will you do me the honor of allowing me to marry you?”

“Oh, Goddess, Hecate!” She was crying now, pulling Hecate up to her knees so she could kiss her. “Did you? Are we? I can’t believe you asked me!” She kissed Hecate again, hands winding into her hair. She nipped and sucked at Hecate’s lips, kiss deepening as Hecate’s tongue raked across her own.

“You didn’t answer…” Hecate gasped once the need for air forced them to separate.

“Yes! Yes, you daft witch…” She leaned down and kissed Hecate with every spark of magic in her. “A million times yes,” she said, peppering her face with kisses. “Get up here.” She pulled Hecate back onto the mattress, never stopping the stream of kisses until they were both on their knees, breathless.  She reached out with her magic, sending as much love to Hecate as she was able.

Hecate’s eyes flew open.

And maybe a fair amount of lust, Pippa thought, unable to contain a giggle. “Sorry, darling, you have no idea what you do to me.” She felt Hecate’s magic spilling out over them both, roiling with love and heat and fear and _want_. A bulb from Hecate’s bedside lamp flared then popped off, leaving only the light of the full moon streaming in. Hecate’s vase of pink flowers cracked, but they both ignored the sound of water dripping onto the stone floor.

Pippa continued pressing kisses to every bit of Hecate’s exposed skin she could reach – her cheeks, her jaw, the pulse point in her throat. She fluttered her eyelashes across Hecate’s lips before gently bringing their lips together.

She groaned in pleasure when she felt Hecate’s tongue flicker against her lips. She was still groaning when their tongues met, each tasting and sucking the other.

Pippa stopped breathing entirely when she felt Hecate’s fingers drift across her abdomen and up her ribs, stilling just beneath the swell of her breasts. She broke their kiss, resting their foreheads together and sucking in a ragged breath. “It’s all right to touch, Hecate. I’d quite prefer it, actually.” She could hear Hecate swallow. Trembling fingers ghosted across her breasts, thumbs tracing the rise of her nipples before sliding back to her ribcage. “Definitely prefer it,” Pippa gasped. “You need to do that again.” She felt Hecate’s soft laugh as it gusted along her cheek. More confident hands cupped the curve of her breasts while Hecate’s lips nibbled her jawline.

Pippa slipped her hands beneath Hecate’s pajama top, smoothing he palms over the planes of her stomach, the curve of her sides, tracing the outline of the scar above her hip. Relishing the feel of so much skin. She raked her fingernails lightly across Hecate’s ribs and around to her back, feeling every play of the muscles twitching beneath her fingertips.

Dragging her nails back to Hecate’s front, Pippa could feel her chest heaving. With a jerk, Hecate pushed her away. Pippa snatched her hands back, worried she’d pushed Hecate too far before she realized that Hecate was giggling and scratching at her sides over her pajama top. “No fair tickling, Pipsqueak!” she gasped.

“Good grief, Hiccup! I thought I’d freaked you out!” Pippa dropped her head until it rested against Hecate’s chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.” She tilted her head, grinning wickedly up at Hecate. “It’s good to see some things haven’t changed after all these years.” She just managed to slip her fingers under Hecate’s top again before Hecate captured both her hands.

“No, no, no you don’t…” She pulled Pippa’s hands away from her sensitive ribs. “Now, Pippa Pentangle…not to be vulgar…but the odds of you getting shagged tonight drop considerably if you start a tickle fight.” She kissed the tip of Pippa’s nose. “Your choice,” she added, pulling Pippa’s hands around her until they rested on her backside.

“Mmmm…that is a dilemma,” Pippa purred, lightly kneading Hecate’s rear end. “Are you sure? Are you ready?” She brushed her lips against Hecate’s. “We don’t have to rush into anything.”

Hecate quirked an eyebrow. “Thirty years is hardly rushing things.” Trembling fingers belied her nervousness as she smoothed her hands across Pippa’s shoulders. “We are engaged, after all,” she said, her voice breaking. “We’re engaged.” Hecate dropped to sit on her backside, shaking hands clutching at Pippa’s nightgown while tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks.

Pippa reached out to cup Hecate’s cheeks, thumbs brushing the tears away. “That’s right, Hiccup.” She tilted Hecate’s head until their eyes met, Hecate’s filled with love and hope and more than a little uncertainty. “I’m going to be your wife. And you mine. And I’ve never been happier.” She moved until she was practically sitting on Hecate’s lap, her knees straddling Hecate’s thighs, carefully keeping some of her weight on her knees. “No takesy backsy.”

Hecate looked up at her – at her fiancée and laughed. Low, throaty and _relieved_. “Absolutely not. I’d never work up the nerve to ask again.” She pressed a kiss to the hollow of Pippa’s throat and two more where her collarbones peeked out beneath the neckline of her nightgown. She trailed a few more down the valley between her breasts, leaving a faint, wet trail on the pink fabric. Her fingers tugged the lace edging the hem. “Will you take this off?”

Pippa waved a hand and the gown disappeared, leaving her only in a pair of knickers. She watched Hecate’s eyes widen and her pupils dilate.

Hecate sucked in a shuddering lungful of air. “By the Goddess you’re beautiful.” Her eyes traveled across the expanse of Pippa’s skin, taking in every curve, every freckle, every line and bit of softness that time had marked her with. She watched the pink splotches appear, first over Pippa’s sternum, then in a rush across the rest of her chest. “You’re blushing.” Hecate repeated her trail of kisses down Pippa’s chest, savoring the rush of heat and the slightly salty taste of Pippa’s bare skin.

Ignoring the burning that was starting in her thighs, Pippa lifted Hecate’s hands to her chest, placing them over her breasts before crushing Hecate in a hug. “You make me feel beautiful, Hiccup. You always have.” She pulled back enough to bring their lips together in a slow, soft kiss.

Once she moved beyond her initial shyness, Hecate’s hands roamed across Pippa’s chest and torso with abandon, touching everywhere – running the length of her spine, her arms, rubbing against her nipples until Pippa moaned. When she replaced her hands with her mouth, Pippa lost the ability to breathe entirely. Her fingertips ghosted across the waistband of Pippa’s nickers – a pair of white cotton briefs with tiny pink flowers printed on them. They were the sort of thing you wear at home when you’re comfortable and safe and loved. Hecate found them to be absolutely unexpected and utterly delightful. And sexier than any scrap of black lace could ever be.

Hecate ran her hands down Pippa’s thighs. She could feel Pippa’s muscles shaking from the strain of holding her up. “You won’t be able to move tomorrow, Pip,” she said, pulling Pippa’s weight onto her body. “That won’t do at all.” She meant to roll Pippa over onto her back and technically, she did, but Hecate misjudged their location on the bed and instead, Pippa crashed to the floor with a startled yelp from her and an irritated yowl from Morgana. “Pippa!” Hecate scrambled after her, frantically throwing up a quick silencing spell. “Are you all right?” As she dropped to the floor beside her, Hecate’s worry quickly gave way to relief when she realized that Pippa Pentangle, Headmistress of one of the finest schools of witchery and her fiancée, was sprawled on her bedroom rug, clad in nothing but her flowery knickers, laughing her arse off.

“Pretty sure your cat hates me now,” she managed to gasp before dissolving in another fit of giggles. “Give me a hand up?” She waited for Hecate to climb up from the floor then let herself be hoisted to her feet.

“Are you sure you aren’t hurt?” Her eyes roamed Pippa’s mostly naked body. She had to remind herself – several times – that she was checking her love for injuries. “I’m sorry.”

“I think the only casualty was the mood, darling, and that is quickly recovered. And…” She caught Hecate’s chin with her fingertips, bring her eyes up so she could show her that all was well. “The only thing you need to be sorry for is the fact that you are still wearing far too many clothes.” Hecate cleared her throat and raised a hand to magic her pajamas away. “Please,” Pippa said, grabbing her hand. “Let me do it the old-fashioned way.”

Hecate nodded and tried to duck her head as Pippa’s fingers started on her bottom button, but each time she looked down Pippa would stop and lift her chin again, holding her gaze as she went back to work on the buttons. Three buttons open and Pippa’s hands moved across her belly, skimming across her skin, being careful to use more pressure this time so it wouldn’t tickle. Her hands ghosted across Hecate’s breasts and Pippa could feel Hecate’s nipples hardening beneath her palms. She realized Hecate had forgotten to breathe. “Take a breath my love,” she whispered. “If you pass out due to lack of oxygen, I’m going to be quite peeved.”

“No promises,” Hecate said, groaning against Pippa’s lips, crushing them in a searing kiss. With a flick of her wrist, Hecate magicked away her pajama top. “Too slow,” she scolded, words still muffled by Pippa’s mouth on hers.

Now it was Pippa’s turn to stare, to finally look at the object of a lifetime of fantasies. “Will you…” Pippa waved a hand at Hecate’s pajama bottoms. Hecate snapped her fingers and they disappeared to wherever the rest of their clothes had been vanished, leaving Hecate standing there, all nerves and shyness and sensible black underwear. “Great Merlin’s ghost, Hecate, I knew you would be gorgeous, but…you are magnificent beyond anything I could have imagined.” She watched as Hecate blushed and tried to decide what to do with her arms. Awkward is so bloody sexy, Pippa thought, pulling Hecate against her, reveling in the feeling of skin on skin – breasts and bellies and thighs and…everything in between. She whispered in Hecate’s ear, “And believe me, I have imagined this moment _a lot_.”

“Me, too.” Hecate giggled like she was fifteen again. “You have no idea what I’ve imagined over the last thirty years.”

“I rather think I do, darling,” she giggled herself. “And won’t we have a wonderful time comparing notes.” She backed Hecate up until her knees hit the bed. After a quick double-check to make sure that the bed was where she thought it was, Pippa pressed Hecate onto the mattress, settling on top of her. She trailed wet kisses across Hecate’s stomach and up her sternum, her tongue just tracing the curve of a breast. “This has certainly made an appearance or two over the years.” Pippa walked her fingers across Hecate’s hip before snapping the elastic of her knickers. “I think I’d like to vanish these bits as well. May I?”

“P-please.” Hecate’s chest heaved with every shuddering breath she took. She groaned as the last barrier between them disappeared. She shifted until she could wrap her legs around Pippa’s hips, pulling her even closer. “How are you doing with all of this, Pipsqueak, are you all right?”

“Oh, Hiccup, I am so much better than all right.” She flicked her tongue across Hecate’s collarbone. “And you, my love?” She nipped at the soft skin of Hecate’s shoulder. “Is there anything you need?”

“I wouldn’t complain if you were wearing your glasses,” Hecate smirked, raking her nails up and down Pippa’s back. She laughed when Pippa’s pink readers suddenly appeared.

“I suppose this makes your list of…imaginings?” Pippa purred.

“Several times, Pipsqueak. And I have all that I could ever hope…” Her voice trailed away as Pippa slid further down her body, her lips and tongue rendering Hecate incapable of speech. Her last coherent thought before losing herself to Pippa was a fervent hope that her silencing spells would hold.

 

 

“Good morning, my love,” Pippa whispered into Hecate’s hair when she felt her beginning to stir. “How are you feeling?”

Hecate came to her senses slowly, savoring the feel of warm skin pressed the length of her body. Like their hands, their curves and angles seemed to fit together perfectly. Stretching, she felt the pleasant ache of well-used muscles. “I feel like I’ve spent the night making love to my fiancée,” she purred. She ran a hand up Pippa’s side until she was cupping a hand against the blonde’s cheek. “What about you? Are you okay? Was…this…okay?” she asked, her voice quavered only a little, but it was enough for Pippa to hear the trepidation in her voice.

Pippa pressed her hand against Hecate’s, turning her head and planting a kiss in Hecate’s palm. “I feel like everything I’ve ever dreamed about has finally come true. And…” she waggled her eyebrows suggestively, “that you were absolutely worth the wait.”

“Please,” Hecate scoffed. “I could be absolute rubbish at the whole business for all you know.” She stilled. She hadn’t meant to tease Pippa, not about that. She didn’t breathe again until Pippa threw her head back and laughed, full-throated and a bit naughty.

“Maybe so, but I doubt we’d have needed to add silencing spells to the windows if you were all that rubbish.” Pippa walked her fingers up Hecate’s chest, following the rising line of her blush. “If you think we may need to practice more, though…” She tilted her head enough to bring their lips together, kissing Hecate thoroughly. Her tongue flicked across Hecate’s lips until she opened her mouth, letting her inside.

Pippa rolled onto her back, pulling Hecate with her. The blankets slipped down, and Pippa could feel desire spreading across her flesh on pace with the rising goosebumps. She slid her hands up and down Hecate’s spine, feeling each rib and vertebrae. Felt Hecate slide across her belly until she was centered between her legs and still she kept kissing her.

Hecate broke the kiss and pressed herself up onto her hands, panting, staring down at Pippa, her eyes wide and filled with love and…sex. Her black hair fell like a curtain around them until Pippa tangled her hands in it, shoving it behind Hecate’s shoulders as she pulled her back in for another kiss. She wrapped a leg around Hecate’s hip, pulling their bodies back together. “By the Goddess, I want you, Hiccup.”

“You have me,” Hecate gasped as she dropped her head, leaving a trail of kisses across Pippa’s jaw and down her throat until her lips and tongue were nipping and sucking at her nipple. “You’ll always have me, for as long as you want.”

Pippa managed to moan out the words, “Forever, then,” before she lost all ability to speak.

 

 

Hecate wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she woke again, only that it was well into morning. She fumbled at the bedside table for her pocket watch and saw that it is almost noon. She looked across the bed to find Pippa, only to see a tangled mess of empty sheets.

Bolting upright, Hecate frantically searched her bedroom, as if there was any way she could have overlooked another human being. Panic crept into her chest. She’s had this dream before, too many times, and every time it seemed so real, until she found herself just as alone in the bright light of the morning. Just like she was now.

On trembling legs, she crawled out of her bed, looking for any trace that she wasn’t alone. The clothes that she knew should be scattered across the floor were gone. She raced for the door, not caring in the least that she was still naked. Ripping it open hard enough for the handle to chip bits of stone from the wall when it hit, Hecate froze. Pippa was there, standing on the other side, holding a tray filled with breakfast foods, a bright smile slipping away.

“Hiccup? What’s wrong?” She magicked the tray to the bed just before Hecate slammed into her outstretched arms. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Hecate clung to Pippa, even as panic gave way to embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “It’s just…I’ve dreamed this before…”

Pippa brushed her hands up and down Hecate’s back, trying to be as soothing as possible despite the feel of her bare skin. “You thought last night was a dream,” she finished for her. She felt Hecate nod against her neck. “And then I wasn’t here when you woke up.” Another nod. “I hate that dream, too. I’d rather have any other nightmare.”

“You…you’ve had that dream…about me?”

“More times than I care to remember, darling.” She held her at arm’s length and waited until Hecate looked up to meet her eyes. “We never have to have it again, though, do we? I’m here and I’ll always be here – even if I’ve gone to fetch the breakfast tray.” Leaning in, Pippa kissed her softly on the lips. “You’re here.”

“I’ll always be here.” She brushed a loose strand of hair out of Pippa’s eyes. “I will.” Hecate knew it would take more than one night, more than the promise of a tiny gold band, to erase that particular fear from Pippa’s heart. But she would. However long it took, she would keep reassuring Pippa that she wouldn’t – couldn’t – leave her again. She knew neither of them would survive it.

Pippa’s smile warmed her from the inside out – almost as much as Pippa’s eyes roaming across her body did. “I guess it’s a good thing Julie and Mildred weren’t in the sitting room when you opened that door. Or Dimity.”

“Or Algernon,” Hecate said, suddenly embarrassed. She tried to cover herself with her hands, but Pippa laced their fingers together instead, pulling her close.

“I’ve already seen, darling, and I like looking.” She nibbled at Hecate’s earlobe. “You’re beautiful. Don’t ever think that you’re not.” Pippa pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and summoned Hecate’s purple pajamas and magicked her into them. “Let’s get something to eat. We have to go sort out Mildred soon. Oh, I almost forgot.” She summoned a folded piece of paper and handed it over. “It was taped to the bedroom door.”

Hecate unfolded the note, recognizing Julie’s precise, even script before she even started to read it. “I certainly hope we were asleep when she put it on the door.”

 

_Good morning, girls!_

_Millie wanted to go to the flat first thing and you lot seemed to be having a bit of a lie in. Ada transferred us over. We’ll see you this afternoon._

_Julie_

_PS – Took you two long enough!_

 

Hecate turned the paper back and forth, trying to make sense of a vaguely pornographic drawing. “Clearly Mildred didn’t inherit her artistic ability from her mother.”

“Turn it this way, darling.” Pippa rotated the paper one more time.

“Merlin’s beard!” Hecate vanished the paper away, blushing. She looked at Pippa, who stood there, smirking into her hand. “You’ve already put it on your list.” It wasn’t a question.

 

 

Hecate stood by the window, staring out at the grounds while Pippa finished getting ready. She smoothed her hands down her skirt, slightly uncomfortable. She wished she was wearing her usual fitted dress instead of the loose navy skirt and paisley blouse that Pippa had talked her into _. ‘You don’t need to be Miss Hardbroom today, Hiccup,’_ she’d said. ‘ _You need to be Hiccup.’_ Hecate smiled to herself and shook her head. Mildred Hubble would not be calling her Hiccup. That was for Pipsqueak.

Movement along the green below caught her eye. Dimity and Marigold were strolling the grounds. An idea began to take shape in Hecate’s mind.

“I’m ready, darling,” Pippa said, sidling up behind her and rubbing her fingertips down Hecate’s spine, finally bringing her hand to rest on Hecate’s hip. “Shall we transfer?”

Hecate nodded towards the figures below. “I’d like to make a stop first, if you don’t mind?”

Pippa followed her eyes. “Well, well, well, Hiccup! When did this start up?” She squeezed Hecate’s hip. “You’ve been sitting on some juicy gossip.”

“I’m hardly one to gossip, Pippa, as you’re well aware. But,” she gave Pippa a sideways glance and a smirk, “they were holding hands at your mother’s party.” Unbidden, unpleasant memories tried to intrude, but she shoved them away. “I think this is a rather new development, however. Apparently, not everyone moves at the same snail-like pace that we do, my love.”

Pippa’s heart bounced against her ribs at the endearment. “I love you, too, Hiccup. Don’t forget it was the tortoise that won the race.” She bussed Hecate’s cheek and then wiped a smudge of pink lipstick away with her thumb. “Are you ready?”

Hecate laced their fingers together and transferred them to the grounds. They landed a short way ahead of them, far enough away that their sudden appearance wouldn’t startle.

“HB!” Dimity called, pulling Marigold along as she trotted up to Hecate and Pippa. “Good to see you two up and about.” She pointedly glanced at the sun’s position in the sky. “Had a little lie-in, I see.”

Hecate’s cheeks flushed scarlet. “Yes…well…” Scowling, Hecate reconsidered the wisdom of coming down to see Dimity. Unfortunately, they were already here. “I…I…wanted to introduce you to Pippa Pentangle…” She cleared her throat, eyes firmly fixed on the castle parapet, doggedly ignoring the confused expressions on everyone’s face. “My fiancée.”

Pippa beamed.

Dimity launched herself at Hecate. “Congratulations, HB,” she said, squeezing Hecate until she could scarcely breathe.

Hecate responded with her customary stiffness.

“I’m not letting go until you hug me back,” Dimity teased. Reluctantly, at first, Hecate eased her arms around Dimity’s shoulders. “There you go,” Dimity said, violently rocking Hecate from side to side before releasing her. “I’ll have to make a note in my diary – Hecate Hardbroom took my advice!”

Rolling her eyes, Hecate stepped closer to the safety of Pippa. “I always listen to good advice. No matter how unlikely the source.”

Dimity laughed, loud and belly-deep. When she could speak, she offered her congratulations to Pippa as well. “How’d you manage to reel her in, Pentangle? I figured she’d still be trying to suss out whether or not she had a girlfriend.”

Grinning so hard her cheeks ached, Pippa answered, “I said yes when she asked.”

“Well break my broom! Hecate!” She hugged her again, catching Hecate off-guard. “You didn’t just ask her, you old crone. YOU ASKED HER! I’m so happy for the two of you!”

“Thank you, Dimity. Uh,” Hecate glanced at Pippa, “we haven’t told Ada yet…”

“You told me first!” Dimity crowed. “I knew you loved me best, deep down.”

“Don’t be smug about it,” Hecate scolded. “Just…keep it to yourself for a bit. Please.” She waited for Dimity to nod. “I wonder…if you might need to make some sort of introduction yourself?” Bobbing her head back and forth, eyebrows raised, Hecate enjoyed Dimity’s sudden discomfiture. Immensely.

Marigold’s eyes widened while Dimity’s mouth gaped open and closed like a trout on the riverbank. “Uh…” If Dimity had hoped to play things cool, that hope fluttered away on tiny batwings when she looked into Marigold’s wide, hopeful eyes. She held a hand out and waited for Marigold to take it. “This is Marigold,” she said, clearing her throat, “the woman I hope to be spending a great deal of time with.”

“Then I’m pleased for you, Dimity.” Hecate reached out and clasped Marigold’s hand. “Certainly, you could do much better, Miss Mould, but,” she winked at Dimity, “I suppose there’s no accounting for taste.”

“Oy!” Dimity slapped Hecate’s hand away from Marigold. “For thirty seconds, Hardbroom. I liked you for thirty seconds.” She frowned at Pippa. “I hope you decide to be a good influence on her.”

“There’s only so much I can do, I’m afraid.” Pippa grinned and slipped a hand around Marigold’s elbow. “It’ll be up to us to keep these Cackle’s girls in check. What do you think about the four of us taking an evening out sometime?”

Marigold grinned back, “An impossible job, no doubt. I think an evening out would be very nice.”

Hecate started as a thought popped into her head. “Marigold – do you ever go by the name of Mari? Samuel Gullet called you Mari on two separate occasions. It’s…it’s how I knew he wasn’t the Great Wizard.”

Marigold shook her head vehemently. “No. Never.” Her eyes scanned the castle behind them as she debated how much more she wanted to elaborate. Huffing out a gust of breath, she decided to share. “When I was small, my younger brother used to tease me. Stupid things like ‘Mari, Mari fat and hairy, how does your moustache grow.”

“Oh,” Dimity clapped a hand over her mouth, trying to look sympathetic and stifle a laugh.

“It wasn’t funny,” Marigold said, swatting at Dimity’s backside while holding back her own smile. “He had dozens of variations. Needless to say, I’ve never gone by Mari in my life.”

“I don’t blame you,” Pippa said. “Brothers.” She shook her head in sympathy.

“No, I don’t suppose you would,” Hecate said, grimacing. “I suppose one of the few mercies of my childhood was the fact that Hecate doesn’t rhyme with anything.” Hecate’s brows furrowed in thought. “Someone taught Samuel Gullet to call you that. No one in the coven used Mari? Not even Rolando Birdsong?”

“I don’t think I even had a conversation with him.” Marigold cast a furtive glance at Dimity. “You know that I would tell you, Hecate. You know that I regret my role…in everything.”

Hecate placed a hand on Marigold’s shoulder. “I know you would. I do. If you remember…”

“My nan!” Marigold clutched at Hecate’s hand. “My grandmother called me Mari. I haven’t spoken with her in ages…” She started walking a circle around them. “She’s who introduced me to Agatha. She sponsored me in the coven.” She pulled at her hair, back to the rest of them. “This can’t be happening. Hecate…” She faced them, shame and embarrassment in her eyes. “I think my grandmother may be responsible for all of this.”

“If she is, that has nothing to do with you.” The heat in Hecate’s voice surprised everyone but Pippa. “You aren’t responsible for what she does.” She stepped closer to Marigold. “You know who my family is, who my father was. It’s taken me a long time to figure this out,” she glanced at Pippa, “and sometimes I still need to be reminded, but you are not your grandmother. Just like I am not my father.”

 

 

“What are you doing here?” Mildred demanded as soon as Hecate and Pippa appeared in the living room of the Hubble’s flat. She moved closer to her mother. “You have your picture back and you aren’t hurt. Why aren’t you at Cackle’s?”

Hecate took a step back, instinctively reaching for the watch hanging around her neck.

“Millie! What’s gotten into you?” She nudged Mildred back a step, until she could see her face. “Hecate is always welcome here,” Julie looked up, meeting and holding Hecate’s gaze. “Always.” She turned back to Mildred. “She just saved you, love. Why are you acting this way?”

“She didn’t come to save me – she came to get me. But I don’t want to live with her, Mum. I want to stay with you.”

Julie dropped into one of the kitchen chairs, putting her just below eye-level with Mildred. “Why do you think you’d live with Hecate? Is this about that ridiculous maglet message from that Hallow girl?”

Mildred crossed her arms over her chest. “No.” Her eyes traveled across the faces of the three witches looking back at her: her mum’s raised eyebrows, Miss Pentangle’s worried frown and HB’s usual unreadable mask. Except, HB’s eyes were all shiny and wet. A tiny flicker of doubt appeared, but Mildred stubbornly pushed it away. “It’s not. I know better than to believe Ethel about anything. But that doesn’t mean she lied.”

“Mildred,” HB’s voice sounded like she’d been shouting. “I would never try –”

“I heard you! You and Mum were arguing. You said the Great Wizard could just decide I needed to be raised by somebody with magic! Mum said she’d call the police, but you said they’d just think she was crazy!” The lights flickered. “I should have listened to Mum when she said to steer clear of you!”

Hecate looked as though she’d been doused with a bucket of ice water. Julie’s eyes snapped to Hecate’s while she furiously shook her head. Hecate couldn’t think about that now because she could feel the girl’s magic prickling in the air. “Mildred…you need to calm down. What you heard –”

“You can’t tell me what to do! It’s not term time!” A plate in the sink started to rattle. “Just leave me alone. I don’t want you around me! You told Mum she was crazy and said that I would stay with you as long as you had any magic at all!” Mildred could hear her voice pitching higher and higher with every word. She knew she was getting hysterical, but she didn’t care. “It’s just like in all the stories where some old witch tries to steal somebody’s baby!

Hecate stepped closer, hands open and out to her sides. “Mildred, no one is trying to do that – not your mother and certainly not me.” She took a small step closer, afraid that Mildred would bolt if she got too close. The girl’s angry, tear-streaked face showed she still wasn’t hearing what they were saying. She closed the distance between them, gingerly lifting a hand to touch Mildred’s arm, hoping that she might be persuaded to listen, at least. As soon as her fingers brushed the fabric of Mildred’s sleeve, it sent the girl into a panic.

“I told you I don’t want anything to do with you!” Mildred shoved Hecate away from her, her hand tangling in the chain of Hecate’s pocket watch.  Hecate stumbled backwards into the kitchen table, knocking over one of the chairs. The chain snapped.

The watch hit the floor with a sickening hollow crack, followed by the sound of tiny bits of metal bouncing and rolling across wood. It was deafening in the silence of the room.

Everyone stared at the scattered pieces, horrified – Mildred most of all. Her eyes darted to Miss Hardbroom. She wasn’t looking at the watch. She was looking at Mildred. And instead of looking furious, HB’s face – her whole body – looked like it was crumpling in front of her.

Suddenly, everything on the countertop began to vibrate and the air started to smell like ozone. Hecate was gasping for air, clutching at the place on her blouse where her pocket watch should be. “Pip… I can’t…” A crack spiderwebbed across the balcony door.

“I know, darling. Go!” Pippa launched herself between Hecate and Mildred. “Go! Go! GO!”

Hecate disappeared in a thunderclap of magic, scorch marks seared into the floor where she’d been standing an instant ago. The windows shattered, and the tea kettle whistled as the water in it boiled.

Mildred flung herself against her mother, crying again. Julie tucked her head beneath her chin and rocked her gently back and forth. “Oh, Millie-love, what have you done?” she whispered. She looked at the pieces of the watched scattered across her floor, then at Pippa. “Can you fix it?”

“I think so,” she said, unsure. Still, she cast a spell and all the pieces of the watch began floating towards the table and settling on it. It looked an awful lot of pieces. “It’s not the watch I’m worried about.”

“No. That’s the least of our broken bits, I think.” She unwrapped Mildred from around her waist. “Go wait for me in your room, love. I want to speak with Miss Pentangle before I talk to you.” She waited until she heard Mildred’s bedroom door click shut before spoke. “Is this what she meant by ‘sparkers’ that night in the woods?” Pippa nodded. “Do you need to go to her?”

Pippa closed her eyes and reached out with her magic. It wasn’t hard to locate Hecate – she’d left a trail of burning magic all the way back to Cackle’s. Pippa was surprised she couldn’t actually see it when she looked out the windows. Or, where the windows used to be. “She’s at Cackle’s. She’s safe, if not sound. I think she needs a moment to herself. Besides, I’d rather have her watch repaired when I go. It was her mother’s you know.”

“I wondered. I know it’s important to her.” Julie surveyed the damage to her apartment. No wonder Hecate is always on about control, she thought. “All of this though, it wasn’t about the watch.”

“No.” Pippa set the chair upright and sat down at the table. “You’ve probably noticed that Hecate has a tough time with other people?” Julie hummed her agreement. “For a long time, the only person she had that she could count as a friend was Ada. I’ve had nightmares, you know, about what could have happened to Hiccup if Ada hadn’t become a part of her life.”

“Then you came along again.” Julie pulled out another chair and sat as well.

“That’s just it, Julie. It was Mildred that came along. Without Mildred there wouldn’t have been any reconciliation after the Spelling Bee. She set us up to meet that day. Without Mildred, Agatha would be running Cackle’s and Ada would be a snail somewhere. No Mildred, no slumber party, no you.”

“Millie’s like the linchpin that holds us all together. I can see why Millie being angry with her would cause all this.” She gestured at the wreckage of her living room.

“It’s something about Mildred as well, I think.” Pippa grinned at Julie. “You’ve raised a remarkable daughter, Julie Hubble. Somehow, she’s managed crack open Hecate’s shell. I can’t believe the things she’s done for that girl.” She laughed a bit. “She went camping, for Merlin’s sake.”

“And now Millie’s ripped her open. Damn that Ethel Hallow and her bloody maglet message.” She sighed, standing. “Don’t fix that watch just yet. I want Mildred to help you. She can take it when you send her to Hecate’s to apologize.” If Julie expected Pippa to argue, to insist on talking to Hecate herself, it didn’t happen. “What? No argument?”

“A witch takes responsibility, Julie. Mildred has to do that. Besides, even if they weren’t witches, they need to work this out themselves.”

 

 

_One and one make two_

_One and one make two_

 

Mildred snuggled her bear against her chest, sniffling. She kept seeing the look on HB’s face in her mind. She’d never seen HB look so…lost.

Her door creaked open, and Mildred peeked over her shoulder to see her mother leaning in the doorway.

“Are you mad at me?” She squeezed her bear again.

 

_One and one make two_

_One and one make two_

 

“No, love. No one is mad at you.”

“Miss Hardbroom is.”

Julie stepped around the bed and sat beside her daughter. “She’s not angry, Millie. I think you hurt her feelings too much for her to be angry.”

Mildred’s eyebrows furrowed together. “Hurt her feelings? Miss Hardbroom? I don’t think so.” But, the way HB’s face just sort of…melted…kept replaying in her head. Was that because of her?

“Then you need to think again, Millie-bear. You said some very hurtful things to Hecate – based on Ethel Hallow’s maglet message.”

“But, I heard –”

“You eavesdropped. You only heard bits and pieces, and then you filled in the rest and got it wrong. This is why we’ve told you again and again not to do it.” Julie pulled Mildred into her side. “I know you two have had a rough couple of years, but…think about this summer. Your birthday present? The slumber party? The retreat?”

“She taught me to dance, at the bonfire.”

“That’s right. And she watched Harry Potter with you and played games in Ada’s office.  And saved –” her voice broke and she had to clear her throat. “She saved you. Twice. She risked her life to bring you back to me. Hecate fought a duel for you, Millie.  Does that sound like someone trying to hurt you?”

Mildred was crying now. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. “She hates me, doesn’t she?”

“No, love. She doesn’t hate you. She loves you. That’s why it hurt so much.”

“What do I do now?”

Julie reached across and squeezed Mildred’s bear.

 

_One and one make two_

_One and one make two_

 

“You know, when I bought this, you and I were the two. And that was fine. But we aren’t just two anymore. Now we have Hecate and Pippa. Even Ada.” Julie feathered her fingers through the end of Mildred’s plait. “Do you know what other one and one can make two?”

“Me and Miss Hardbroom?”

“That’s right. You’ve spent most of the summer together becoming just that. So,” Julie twisted around until she was sitting cross-legged on the bed. “Do you want that?” Julie prayed that the answer was yes – heaving a great sigh of relief when Mildred nodded. “Good, because I want that for both of you, too. It’s not going to be easy. Hecate has a hard time letting people in and it’s gonna be tough for her to take a chance. Do you think you can convince her?”

“I think so.”

“Good.” She stood up and pulled Mildred along behind her.

In the living room Pippa sat at the kitchen table, studying the pieces of the watch that were laid across its surface. Julie scanned the apartment. Everything was back in order – windows whole, scorch marks gone. Pippa hadn’t been idle while she waited.

Pippa looked up when she heard them enter, a smile brightening her face immediately. She held a hand out to Mildred. “Come here, darling. Are you all right?”

Tears welled in Mildred’s eyes again. Why wasn’t Miss Pentangle mad at her? How could she sit there and smile at her when she’d hurt Miss Hardbroom so much? “Not really,” she sniffed. She let Miss Pentangle pull her into a hug.

“I wouldn’t think so.” She patted the seat next to her. “Let’s get her watch put back together so you two can put this whole bit of unpleasantness behind you.”

Mildred slumped down in the chair next to her. “Do you think we can?”

“Absolutely! Just look at Hiccup and me. Even after everything, we’re together. I’m going to let you in on a little secret about Miss Hardbroom: it may take her a long time to warm up to someone, but once she loves you, she never stops loving you.” The corners of her eyes crinkled as she glanced over at Julie. “We’re getting married.”

“Oy! That’s magnificent!” Julie hugged Pippa from behind, kissing the top of her head loudly. “When did you ask her?”

“She asked me.”

“NOOO! That crafty old – oh! That’s why you two didn’t get up this morning!” She gave Pippa a playful punch in the shoulder. “Naughty girls!”

Pippa snickered into her hand, feeling a surge of heat in her cheeks. “The two were not…unrelated.”

“No wonder you look like the cat that ate the canary.”

“This is getting weird,” Mildred said, feeling like there was an entire layer of the conversation that she was missing. She was pretty sure she didn’t want to find it.

“Probably.” Pippa cleared her throat and focused on the task at hand. “Back to the watch, then, hey? First, we need to make sure all of the pieces are in order.” She held her hands over the table and whispered an incantation, “ _Pieces, parts and odds and ends, fix it all ‘til each bit_ _mends_.” White smoked puffed out of about a third of the parts on the table.

“That fixed the pieces? But not the watch?” Mildred asked, studying the pieces intently.

“That’s right. We have to make sure those are fixed properly before we try to put it all together.” She lifted the chain and held it out to Mildred. “Why don’t you do the rest? We’ll practice on the chain first.” She held up her hand and summoned a piece of paper with the spell on it. “Just say the words, think about it being whole again, and wave your hand over the chain.”

Mildred read the paper over a couple of times before she was ready. Once she felt confident, she took the chain and laid it on the table in front of her. “ _Make it whole, make it right, undo the damage done tonight_.” She waved her hand over the chain and watched it wriggle back together until the pieces clinked into place. “I did it!”

“And very well, I might add.” Pippa rubbed Mildred’s back. “Hecate will be pleased.” She put the chain in her lap and gestured to the watch. “Now the rest. Just do the same thing again.”

Mildred repeated the chant and watched as pieces of the watched swirled in the air, shifting and sliding until everything had slipped into place. The casing sealed itself closed, the cracks disappeared from the glass and the cover snapped back into place. “Is it…is it fixed now?”

“Let’s see…” Pippa picked up the watch and turned it over in her hands. “The case looks good – better, I think. It had a little nick right there,” she pointed to a spot near the hinge “that isn’t there anymore.” She opened the case, it opened smoothly. Inside, the second hand made its way around the face. “It’s even keeping the proper time. You’ve done an excellent job, Mildred.”

Mildred hung her head, staring at her trainers. “Too bad it won’t be this easy to fix what I did to HB.” She felt Miss Pentangle rubbing another gentle circle on her back.

“All right, then.” Julie slapped her hands on her thighs and hauled herself off the sofa. “One job done. Now, on to the next one. Pippa can transfer you straight to Miss Hardbroom.”

“By myself?”

“By yourself, love.” Julie ran a hand down one of Mildred’s plaits. “I know that it’s scary. But you need to make amends.”

“Just tell her what you’re feeling,” Pippa said. “It’s better to say something than not, Mildred. Take it from someone who knows. It’s always better to speak up.” She reached out with her power again, making sure Hecate was still at Cackle’s. She was. “I’ll transfer you to her sitting room.”

“Don’t forget this,” Julie said, pressing the watch into Mildred’s hands. “You’ll do fine.”

Pippa raised a hand, and Mildred disappeared from sight.

 

 

Mildred stumbled a bit as she transferred into Miss Hardbroom’s rooms. It was dark. Cold. Blinking fast, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. At first, she wasn’t even sure Miss Hardbroom was there, but after a moment, she spoke.

“I know what you’re going to say, Pip. I need to get myself together and come back. I know.” She was huddled in one end of her sofa, knees tucked up under her chin. She had her back to Mildred and didn’t realize she wasn’t talking to Pippa. “I will. I just…I can’t…” She blew out a frustrated breath and scrubbed her hands across her face. “I don’t want to make things worse. I’m afraid that if I push…or say the wrong thing…or just be myself…Julie never should have trusted me in the first place, but…now it’s too late…I already love her…Just give me a little while longer, Pippa. I promise I’ll go back soon.”

Mildred shuffled around the sofa where Miss Hardbroom could see her if her head wasn’t resting on her knees. “It’s not Miss Pentangle,” she said, keeping her voice low.

Hecate’s head snapped up, eyes wide and frightened. She pressed a fist against her mouth desperate to choke back a cry. Scrambling back into the cushions, she tried to put some distance between Mildred and herself, as though that might give her time to collect herself. “Wh-what are you…how did you…”

“Miss Pentangle transferred me.” She took a tiny step back. HB looked positively afraid of her. Even in the dim light it was easy to see that she’d been crying. A lot. A hot fist squeezed at Mildred’s heart. Miss Hardbroom was crying because of her. “You told me once that a witch takes responsibility, so that’s what I’m doing.” She held out the watch. “Miss Pentangle helped me fix it. Well,” she half shrugged a thin shoulder, “it’s more like I helped Miss Pentangle.”

Hecate took the watch in trembling fingers. “Thank you,” she whispered, looping the chain around her neck. She clutched the watch with both hands, sucking in a ragged breath.

Mildred watched her potions teacher struggle to breathe, to speak. Even though Miss Hardbroom was staring down at the watch, Mildred could see tears dripping onto her blue skirt.

“It isn’t…it isn’t your fault, Mildred.” Hecate just managed to look Mildred in the eye. “I should have…I should have been better. Obviously, I didn’t make you feel…safe…with me.” She looked away, hastily wiping the tears from her eyes.

“How is this not my fault? I’m sorry, Miss Hardbroom. I know I can’t fix this, but I’m so sorry anyway.” Tears burned her eyes and made the back of her throat scratchy. “You trusted me with, with your feelings and Miss Pentangle and the bullies and…and I didn’t trust you back. I never should have listened to Ethel or…If anything ever did happen to Mum, I’d want to live with you and…” And then the girl was sobbing too hard to say anything else.

Hecate’s jaw worked, trying to find the right words, any words, to tell Mildred that she was okay, that they weren’t broken any more than the watch was, but…

Before she could get the words out, Mildred was running out the door, still crying so hard that Hecate knew she couldn’t see the uneven floors. Hecate may not know what to say, but she knew what to do.

Bracing herself for the impact, Hecate transferred herself directly into Mildred’s path, folding the girl into her arms. “Stop! Mildred! You’re okay.” Mildred tried to push away, to keep running, but Hecate refused to let go. Instead she held on tighter, murmuring ‘you’re okay’ over and over into Mildred’s hair until she quit trying to run. Until she was clutching at Hecate and crying in relief instead.

And Hecate felt it then: her foolish, traitorous heart opening up, demanding that Hecate risk it again. Insisting that its purpose was not to be kept safe, like a ship in the harbor. Rather, her heart demanded the open sea, the storms of heartache be damned. It might be safe in the harbor, but that wasn’t what ships, or hearts, were for.

When Mildred’s tears had mostly subsided, Hecate unwrapped the girl’s arms from around her waist and held her at arm’s length, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Let’s go back and talk, shall we?” Mildred nodded, and Hecate pulled her in for another hug, this time planting a firm kiss on her forehead. After, Mildred refused to be separated entirely, holding Hecate’s hand the entire way back to her rooms. Hecate didn’t mind in the least.

Two hours later, Pippa and Julie transferred in to find Hecate and Mildred sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the coffee table, leaning against the sofa. Side-by-side, knees touching, both were engrossed in coloring detailed mandalas. Hecate seemed to be telling Mildred a story. Colored pencils and finished pages lay scattered across the coffee table and the floor.

Julie squeezed Pippa’s elbow in relief. “Those are lovely,” she said softly, careful not to startle and ruin one of the detailed pieces of art. “You two are even lovelier.”

Mildred smiled up at them, bright and relaxed. “You don’t have to worry. We’ve sorted things.”

“Good to know,” Pippa said, chuckling. She crossed to the sofa and sat down next to Hecate. “Hello, darling.” Leaning down, she captured Hecate’s lips in a slow, deep kiss.

Hecate stretched a hand out, groping blindly at the air, trying to cover Mildred’s eyes.

Giggling, Mildred easily dodged HB’s flailing hand. “It’s okay, HB. I already know that you and Miss Pentangle kiss.”

“Great,” Hecate said, pulling away from Pippa. She quirked an eyebrow at her. “If this prompts any sort of _questions_ , you get to answer.” Pippa gave her a playful salute. “Now, help me off this floor. I haven’t been able to feel my arse for the last forty minutes.”

Pippa stood up and hauled Hecate to her feet, wincing at the popping noises Hecate’s spine made as she straightened. As Hecate stretched, Pippa slapped a hand across the aforementioned arse, rubbing it vigorously.

“Merlin’s beard, Pipsqueak!” Hecate yelped, retreating to the kitchenette and Julie.

“What? I was just trying to restore the circulation. I’m sure that’s proper first aid, hey Julie?”

“If you’re a randy Headmistress,” she snorted. Julie turned her attention to Hecate, holding her by the elbows while she looked her up and down. Her eyes were a still bit puffy, evidence that she’d been crying. She looked peaceful enough, though. “You look all right on the outside. How about the inside?”

“Better than I expected. She…she realizes that I wouldn’t…I didn’t say anything about magic mum, though. We should do that together.”

Julie gaped at her. “No trying to talk me out of it? I expected you to be doubting yourself – and me. Especially after what Millie said I said.” She just caught the flicker of insecurity in Hecate’s eyes. Sighing, she dropped her hands from Hecate’s elbows. “I did tell her to keep her distance from you, Hecate. But that was a long time ago – her first term. Back when you were trying to get her expelled every other day.”

“I’m sure it was sound advice at the time.” Using a manicured thumbnail, Hecate picked at a nonexistent speck on the countertop, avoiding Julie’s eyes altogether.

“But it’s not the advice I’d give her now. Far from it.” She pulled Hecate into a fierce hug. “You two are good for each other.” She loosened her embrace, surprised to feel Hecate hanging on for longer. “Now,” she said, once they’d parted, “I know we talked about a fancy dinner and all that, but I don’t want to wait anymore. I have the blue folder with me, and we’ve brought enough Chinese take-away to feed half of Cackle’s. If you’ll go get Ada, I’d like to make tonight the night we tell her.”

Hecate snapped her fingers and transferred to Ada’s office.

 

 

Hecate found Ada staring at the photograph of Agatha and Cassandra Gullet, back in its customary place on the wall.

“I find I’m not particularly keen to have it back,” she said, without turning around. “All her life, Agatha’s been at the center of maelstrom after maelstrom. And it hasn’t ended.” Ada looked over her shoulder and smiled sadly. “She’s been in that photograph for over a year and still…”

Setting aside the reason she came, Hecate took careful steps towards Ada. “I can have the photograph moved elsewhere, if it troubles you.”

“I fear it will trouble me no matter where it is, my dear.” She plucked a glass of Witches’ Brew from the corner of her desk and took a sip. “There are so many enchantments on it now, I can hardly feel her magic. It’s almost as if she died.” She heard Hecate’s sharp intake of breath. “Don’t worry, Hecate, I’m just feeling a bit maudlin this evening.” Ada turned away from the photo. “That’s a lovely skirt and blouse, Hecate. Quite flattering.”

“Thank you. Pippa picked it out.”

“She has quite the knack for finding beautiful things.”

Hecate felt her cheeks heat. “Ada.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, dear.” She took a deep breath and downed the rest of her drink. “I had a rather interesting visit with Miss Drill – and Miss Mould. Her grandmother…what a depressing possibility. Though I suppose, we all know what it’s like to have family that isn’t what we hoped for. I’ve already mirrored the Great Wizard about it. It’s not much, but it’s the only lead we have on Rolando Birdsong’s whereabouts. Oh! Speaking of His Greatness, we’ve been summoned.”

“Summoned?” Ada handed her a blue envelope. Breaking the seal, Hecate unfolded the sheet of heavyweight paper and read through it.

 

_Miss Hecate Hardbroom,_

_The Great Wizard requests your presence at the Magic Council_

_Wednesday, the twenty-fifth of July._

_2 o’clock in the afternoon._

 

“What is this for?” Hecate asked.

“I haven’t the foggiest.” She pointed to a similar blue envelope, addressed to her. “We’ve each received one – as has Miss Pentangle, care of you.” Ada summoned a second envelope and handed it to her deputy. “I suppose we’ll find out Wednesday afternoon.”

“I suppose. Honestly, school starting is going be such a relief, isn’t it? I feel as though my entire summer has been spent careening from one crisis to the next.

“I know just what you mean.” Ada straightened a few items on her desk. “Goodness, Hecate, where are my manners? What brings you here tonight? Surely not school business.”

“No, actually, I’ve come to ask you to dinner. Julie and I are telling Mildred about our agreement, about magic mum. And, um… celebrating that Pippa and I are engaged.”

“Wonderful! Oh, Hecate, that’s just wonderful!” She hugged her Deputy and kissed both cheeks. “I can’t tell you how happy I am for you – and Pippa.” Ada’s blue eyes twinkled up at her. “I must confess, though, dear, I thought you already were.”

 

 

Mildred flopped backwards onto the rug in front of the fireplace in Hecate’s living room. “Why do I always eat so much?”

“Oh, clever girl,” Pippa groaned, “I think you’ve got the right idea.” She crawled over and plopped onto the rug next to Mildred. “I hope I don’t have to fit into my ceremonial robes any time soon.” She rubbed her belly with both hands. “I don’t even know how many eggrolls I ate.”

“Six,” Hecate supplied drily. “You ate six eggrolls and four fried wontons.”

She groaned. “Someday, Hiccup, I’m going to teach you about rhetorical questions.”

“I’ll look forward to it – assuming you’re ever able to hoist yourself off of my rug.” She looked at Julie, eyebrows raised in question. The blonde nodded and went to fetch the blue folder out of her bag.

“Millie-love, come sit next to me on the sofa. Hecate and I have something we need to talk to you about.”

Hearing the change of tone in her mother’s voice, Mildred looked up, alarmed. Had she done something? Again? Her mum didn’t look upset. Mildred thought her mum might look a little bit nervous as she patted the sofa cushion next to her.

“It’s all right, darling.” Miss Pentangle gave her a little nudge to get her moving, then sat up, cross-legged at the coffee table.

“You on the other side, Hecate.” Julie pointed to the spot next to Mildred. She held the blue folder in her lap and tried not to white-knuckle grip it. “So. About that message Ethel Hallow sent to your maglet.”

“I’m sorry I believed it, Mum. I swear!” She looked frantically back and forth between her mother and HB. “I promise I won’t –”

“Mildred Hub-ble.” Hecate said, in her best Miss Hardbroom voice. Mildred’s mouth snapped shut. “You aren’t in trouble.” She softened her voice, “I promise. But please listen to your mother?”

“Thanks.” Julie took a deep breath and started over. “As I was saying, that maglet message was a bunch of rubbish, except for one part. I don’t know what a thirteen-year-old is doing reading through legal filings, but Hecate and I have come to a certain…agreement about your care. I’m awfully chuffed about it and I hope that you will be, too.” She handed Mildred the folder, opening it so she could see the papers.

Mildred read through the papers, twice, trying to make out exactly what she was supposed to understand. Whatever it was, it looked official. Some of it was ordinary world official and some of it was witching world official, but it all had both her mum’s and HB’s names down. “What does it mean when it says ‘guardianship?’ Does it mean that Miss Hardbroom is my mum now? You told me you weren’t…giving me away.” Her forehead puckered in confusion.

Julie wrapped an arm around Mildred’s shoulders. “I’m not. Not in a million, billion years, love. I would never just give you away, and Hecate would never hurt me by trying to take you. That’s not what this is about _at all_.” She looked to Hecate for help, but the witch looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a motorcar – right before the car plowed into it. Maybe Millie wasn’t the one she needed to be worried about during this conversation.

“If I may, Ms. Hubble?” Ada leaned forward in her chair.

“Please, Ada, yes. Yes.” Four adults, she thought, and not a one of us capable of coherent speech.

“Do you remember how the retreat wouldn’t let your mother accompany you because she doesn’t have magic?” Mildred nodded, scowling. “It wasn’t very fair, was it? It also wasn’t very fair when the people at the Magic Council made your mother and Miss Mould stay on the top floor because they didn’t have magic.”

“Or like when Esme had to leave school.”

Ada sighed, softly. “Yes, I’m afraid so. The magical community is very strict about keeping magic and non-magic people separated. By law, we are forced to live in secret and keeping ourselves separated from ordinary people makes that easier. It doesn’t seem very fair, but the Code is quite clear about it.”

“I had to fill out all sorts of forms so you could go to that retreat with Hecate and Ada.” Julie smoothed the wrinkles off of Mildred’s forehead. “I had to make sure that Hecate could be responsible for you. Give her permission to take care of you if something happened.”

“Like at St. Joseph’s. We had to fill out those papers before I could go on the field trip to the beach, in case I got hurt.”

“Exactly. Well, that got me to thinking, what if you needed magical forms signed? Or you flew into a tree again? Or what if something happened to me? I wanted to make sure you’d be taken care of.”

“But what about Gran? Or Auntie Moe?  Wouldn’t they want to take care of me?”

“Of course, they would, love. But, they don’t have magic, Millie. If something happened to me, there would be no one in the witching world that could step up and take care of you. You couldn’t even come back to Cackle’s if Gran or Moe didn’t allow it. I didn’t want to take that chance. I didn’t want you to get ripped away from your magic if something happened to me.” She reached across Mildred’s lap and caught Hecate’s hand. “That’s where Miss Hardbroom comes in. If something happens to me, I’ve asked her to take care of you. That’s what all those papers are for.”

“It’s like you said before, Mildred,” Hecate kept her head down and her voice was so low that, even sitting next to her, she was hard to hear. “If something happened to your mum, you’d want to live with me.” Shy, worried eyes found Mildred’s. “I hope you meant it.”

“I did. Every word.” Mildred wrapped her arms around Hecate’s neck, practically crawling into her lap. After a few moments she flung herself at her mother, shuffling around until she was in her lap, face buried in her neck.

Hecate flopped back on the sofa, wrung out and boneless. It’s done, she thought. She ran a hand down one of Mildred’s braids. It was done, and Mildred was happy. Hecate was happy.

Mildred twisted around on her mother’s lap until she could see everyone. “Does this mean I have two mums now? Like Kenneth from St. Joseph’s?”

“Ah. Not exactly.” She glanced slyly at Hecate. “Unless you ask the girls at your witching retreat. Kenneth’s mums are married to each other. What you have is me, your regular mum, and then you have your magic mum, that’s Hecate. Although,” she made sure to catch Pippa’s eye. “When Hecate and Pippa get married you’ll have two magic mums.” The way Pippa lit up sent warm fuzzies all through Julie’s chest.

“Like Kenneth.”

“Exactly like Kenneth.”

Mildred looked at Miss Hardbroom, frowning. “Am I supposed to call you mum now, too? Or is this all supposed to be a secret?”

Julie had to stifle a laugh at the look on Hecate’s face. The deer was back – and so was the motorcar. “It’s not a secret, but I think you can stick with HB for now, love. Unless?” She stretched her arm across the sofa back and rested a hand on Hecate’s shoulder.

“HB’s good. Let’s stick with that.” Hecate glanced at Pippa, who was still glowing from before. “Although I think Miss Pentangle might prefer it if you started calling her ‘Pippa,’ at least when we aren’t at school.”

“I’d like that, too.” Mildred agreed.

Julie pulled her daughter in for one last hug before sliding her back onto the sofa and trying to discretely wiggle some circulation back into her legs. “Is all this all right with you, Millie-bear?”

“It’s the bats, Mum. Absolutely the bats.”

 

 

There were so many people, Hecate thought as she, Pippa and the Cackle’s staff approached the open gates of the Council building. She reached for the security of Pippa’s hand, her tension easing just a fraction when their fingers twined together. A quick peek at Pippa revealed that she was nervous as well – her posture stiff, expression wary. She’d donned her pink power robes like a suit of armor that morning. The same outfit she’d worn to the Spelling Bee. The one that shouted ‘I’m here to play your game and I’m here to win.’ “

Hecate’s reverie was broken by a young wizard in ornate robes. “Your invitation, Miss?”

It took a second for Hecate to work out that he meant her summons. She produced it and handed it over, as did Pippa and the rest of the Cackle’s teachers.

“There’s an area reserved for you right up front,” the wizard said, gesturing towards the raised stage they could just see over the heads in the crowd. “You can’t miss it.”

No one moved until Ada addressed them all with a brisk “Come along, then,” leading them to their section like a covey of First Years. When they finally made their way through the crowd to their designated area, Hecate was surprised to find Pippa’s mother already there. Evidently, judging from the tightening of her grip on Hecate’s hand, Pippa was, too.

As soon as she saw them, Pippa’s mother rounded on her daughter. “And just what is the meaning of this?” She shook her blue summons – no, invitation – in Pippa’s face. “Summoned to appear before the Great Wizard? Like some common hooligan?”

“Mother, please!” Pippa hissed. “You’re causing a scene.”

“I’m causing a scene? Causing a scene?” With every word, Mrs. Pentangle’s voice got a bit louder. Pippa could see faces in the crowd, either looking away in embarrassment or avidly enjoying the show. “I didn’t hear you complaining about the scene that disaster of a stray you brought home caused at my garden party!”

“Don’t you dare call her that!” Pippa’s own voice was cold and calm, unlike the emotions roiling in her gut. “You have no right to say anything about her at all.”

Hecate caught the faint whiff of ozone in the air. She could feel the waves of magic rolling off Pippa’s body and thrumming in their joined hands. She knew Pippa didn’t have as much control over her magic as she did. Part of modern magic was using your emotions to fuel the magic. She didn’t have the lifetime of practice keeping her magic stuffed inside her, safely away from her emotions. “Pipsqueak?” Hecate kept her voice soft and low, just like Pippa did for her when she was upset. “It’s all right.” Hecate placed her free hand below Pippa’s chin, gently pulling her head around to look at her. “Take a deep breath.” Pippa did, squeezing her hand one last time before she let her go and turned back to face her mother.

“We’ve already talked about this once, Mother. I thought I made myself clear. I even gave you the benefit of the doubt when that awful Agnes Monkshood showed up at the party. But I shouldn’t have, should I? You invited her specifically to upset Hecate.” She grabbed Hecate’s wrist and held her hand up, making certain that her mother saw the ring on Hecate’s finger. “Let me make myself crystal clear this time. Hecate is here to stay. We are going to be married. It’s done. The question has been asked and answered. The only question left at all is whether you want two daughters or zero daughters. There’s no other option.”

“Mark my words, Pippa. She’ll make you sorry you took her back. All the pain she caused before…how long until she does it again? Look at what you’ve accomplished, Pippa. It never would have happened if you’d been saddled with her.”

“So that’s your answer, then. Zero daughters. Very well.” Pippa held up her hands and transferred her mother back to the gate. She could stay, or she could go. Pippa didn’t really care which.

“Pippa,” Hecate’s voice sounded like gravel being stirred in a dry cauldron. “She’s your mother. You can’t just…cut her out of your life because of me.”

Pippa turned slowly to face her – shoulders back, chin up, but eyes shining brightly with unshed tears. “And what about you, Hiccup? Is this where you tell me – again – that I’m better off without you and that you need to go and, really, that’s what’s best for me?” A tear tracked down her cheek, but she ignored it. “Because I really, really don’t want to hear it right now.”

Hecate’s eyes flickered over the faces staring at them before settling on the one face that mattered. “I asked you to marry me, Pipsqueak. You said yes.” She held her hand out. “I’m not going to take it back. Are you?”

Shaking her head, Pippa reached for Hecate’s hand, face crumpling as she let Hecate pull her in to her arms. “Never,” she said as she buried her face in Hecate’s neck and wrapped her arms around her waist. She did her best not to cry, but, couldn’t help herself, especially once Hecate shifted her hand, so she was cradling Pippa’s head against her, rocking back and forth.

The gentle magic of Ada’s concealment spell dropped over them, muffling and blurring out the crowd, giving them a bit of privacy. “I’m sorry, Pip, about your mother. I don’t want you to have to choose, but, I’m not going to disappear and make that choice for you. Not again. You said no takesy backsy.”

Pippa snuffled into her shoulder, “Never again.”

A low laugh rumbled in Hecate’s chest. “Besides, we can’t lose another thirty years – you’d break a hip if you fell off the bed again.”

Pippa couldn’t help but giggle as she raised her head to glare at Hecate. “You mean when you flip me onto the floor again.”

“Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to.” Hecate brushed her lips against Pippa’s, tasting the faint saltiness of her tears. “Let’s get you fixed up before His Greatness comes to remind us how great he is.” She waved a hand and Pippa’s smudged make-up and tear-streaked face returned to normal, only the tiniest bit of splotchiness remaining. “Beautiful as ever, Pipsqueak.” She fluttered her fingers against Ada’s spell and the rest of the group snapped back into focus and full volume. “Thank you, Ada.”

“Of course, dears.” Ada started to say more, but a burst of blue fireworks announced the Great Wizard’s presence.

They all turned to face the dais. Hecate smoothed her hands down the stiff fabric of her dress. She tried to force her hands to be still but settled for rubbing her thumbs across her fingertips. Pippa’s hand snaked around her waist as the Great Wizard strode onto the platform.

“Arrogant git,” Algernon muttered under his breath.

Hecate couldn’t agree more. Pippa’s thumb rubbed against her side, absently following the brocade pattern in her dress. She found it both soothing and erotic, a heady combination that made it almost impossible to pay attention to anything the Great Wizard was saying. Until she heard him say her name.

“…these two women lead one of the finest Witching Academies in Britain. We all owe the staff of Cackle’s Academy a great debt. It’s through their efforts that a rogue coven has been all but disbanded and that those responsible for the crimes against our herbarium and our magical book depository have been brought to justice.

“For their loyalty and service – even at the risk of great harm – I am proud to present the teachers of Cackle’s Academy as well as Pippa Pentangle, Headmistress of Pentangle’s Academy, Marigold Mould, and Julie Hubble with the Order of Magic, one of our Council’s highest honors. Will you please make your way to the stage?”

Bewildered, the group filed up the steps, standing nervously as the Great Wizard spoke about each in turn before a page, a young witch or wizard, dressed in miniature versions of the Magic Council’s formal robes, brought out a cushioned box holding a bronze medal in the shape of crossed broomsticks. Once the Great Wizard pinned the medal to their robes, they were ushered off the stage. Finally, only Hecate was left.

“Miss Hecate Hardbroom,” the Great Wizard stared at her coolly, “Deputy Headmistress of Cackle’s Academy, will not be receiving the Order of Magic today.” He waited for the crowd’s collective gasp to fade away.

Hecate stiffened, her hands balled into fists at her sides. The random thought that this was still about turning him into a balloon flickered through her mind. Her eyes locked on to Pippa, who was standing in the front, staring lightning bolts at the Great Wizard while Ada gripped her hand and whispered in her ear.

“No,” the Great Wizard continued. “Hecate Hardbroom is responsible for doing what scores of other people could not. Thanks to her, a man impersonating me was discovered. Thanks to her, I won’t be spending the rest of my life as a frog – or worse, some of the ingredients in one of her excellent potions. Thanks to Hecate Hardbroom, the whereabouts of this imposter’s gang was discovered and dangerous magic recovered. It is for these reasons that Hecate Hardbroom will not be awarded the Order of Magic, but will instead be awarded the Order of Merlin, the highest honor the Magic Council has to give.” He signaled for the next page to step onto the stage.

Hecate could hardly breathe. The thunderous applause from the crowd was all but drowned out by the sound of her blood rushing through her ears. She was desperately tempted to transfer away until she caught a glimpse of the page.

Mildred Hubble stood nervously at the end of the stage, dressed in her very best school uniform. Every bit of her was pressed and polished – even her hat. When the Great Wizard motioned her over, she walked carefully across the stage until she was directly in front of Hecate, grinning brightly up at her. “Congratulations, Miss Hardbroom,” she whispered. “I’m really proud of you.”

“Thank you, Mildred Hubble.” She blinked back a few traitorous tears. “I hardly recognized you without your usual jumbled hat.”

“Mum steamed it up for me. And Miss Drill magicked my socks, so they wouldn’t fall down.”

“You look rather sharp,” she leaned down a bit so only Mildred could hear. “I think I rather prefer your usual look, though.” She winked as she straightened back up.

Clearing his throat, the Great Wizard asked, “I don’t suppose I could give you the medal now, Miss Hardbroom?” He looked at them both sternly, but neither could miss the twinkle in his eyes.

“Yes, Your Greatness, my apologies.” She leaned forward as he draped the heavy chain around her neck. The medal, a golden sunburst framing a pewter owl, settled just above her pocket watch. The unfamiliar weight of it startlingly heavy.

Out of the corner of her eye, Hecate spotted an assistant standing just off stage, frantically waving for Mildred to exit. Hecate pulled her over to stand next to her instead, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Stay,” she whispered. “Don’t leave me here by myself.”

“I won’t, Miss Hardbroom.”

After what felt like an eternity of applause and photographs, Hecate was finally free to join the others. Mildred’s hand gripped firmly in hers, they wove their way through the crowd of well-wishers and general hangers-on of the Great Wizard’s. Hecate recognized several people who would only have looked at her with disdain yesterday. Finally, she was able to squeeze them through a gap and back to Pippa and the rest. Her joy was short-lived, however. Standing next to Pippa was her mother, looking both sheepish and still very cross.

“Well met and congratulations…Lady Hardbroom,” Pippa’s mother said, bowing deeply as she pressed her hand to her forehead. Her teeth were clenched so hard Hecate feared they would crack.

“You don’t have to call me that, Mrs. Pentangle. I’m still every bit the disaster I was before.”

“Which means none at all, Hiccup.” Pippa straightened the chain of her medal. “I’m so very proud of you, darling.” After a quick peck on the cheek, Pippa turned to face her mother. Again. “Hecate is the same person she has always been. Don’t start treating her differently because the Great Wizard hung some fancy bauble around her neck. If you can’t accept her, accept me with her…well, we’ve already talked about that. If you can be kind to her because you realize you’re lucky to know her, or because she’s important to me, then be kind. But if you can only be kind because you think it will afford you something later…please, don’t bother. I’ve spent all my life surrounded by people like that. I’d rather have the honest dislike.” She turned back to Hecate. “I want to go home, Hiccup.”

“Oh…okay…” she looked down, nervously. “Do you want me to come with you? Or stay at Cackle’s? I can do whatever you want.”

“What? What do you mean, stay at…oh.” Pippa brushed Hecate’s cheek with the backs of her fingers, cupping her jaw when she was done. “Home is wherever you are, my love. If you’re at Pentangle’s, then it’s Pentangle’s. If you’re at the flat, then it’s the flat. Right now, you’re at Cackle’s and so that is where my home is. You are where my home is.”

“Then let’s go home, Pipsqueak.”

 

 

**Epilogue**

The fire had burned down to coals long ago, but the embers still burned hot enough for Pippa to roast another set of marshmallows. Across the campfire, everything she’d ever dreamed of was sitting on a blanket, leaning against a log and reading the sky to Mildred Hubble and her mother. Wearing a pair of faded blue jeans.

Faded.

Blue.

Jeans.

And the Pink Floyd t-shirt she’d stolen from Julie Hubble under a plaid flannel button-up. If it weren’t for the pocket watch necklace and ever-present bun, Pippa wasn’t sure she’d even recognize Hecate. She’d already charmed their tent with every type of silencing spell she could think of.

She smiled as she took in their little clearing. Two tents nestled into the edge of the woods this time, instead of one, but otherwise it looked the same. She couldn’t believe they were back in the same place where she’d first kissed Hecate. Only a couple of months ago, she realized. Now, she had a fiancée and something of a sister and a niece in the Hubbles. A family. Something she’d long since given up on. Something more than just her school.

Marshmallows toasted, Pippa assembled four more s’mores as she listened to Hecate’s low, soft voice telling the story of Cassiopeia and her vanity.

“And so, to punish Cassiopeia for her boasting, she was forced to strip her daughter Andromeda naked and chain her to a rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster Cetus.” Hecate looked up to see Pippa waiting with the s’mores. “And that, Mildred Hubble, is why vanity is unbecoming in a witch.” She smirked at Pippa.

Pippa tried not to laugh, but she was sure her shaking shoulders gave her away, even in the dim light of the fire. She handed out the s’mores, bending to catch Hecate’s still smirking lips with her own before settling down beside her. “Says the witch who takes twice as long to get ready in the mornings as I do.” She leaned around Hecate so she could see Mildred. “Best stay on your toes, Mildred, if they’re handing out sea monsters because Hiccup has too much vanity.”

“Why? I don’t – oh. That’s just mean. HB wouldn’t get me fed to a sea monster.” She went back to licking marshmallow sticky off her fingers, her s’more already devoured.

“Thank you, Mildred. At least someone is on my side,” Hecate sniffed at her s’more before nibbling on the least burnt edge of the marshmallow.

“I don’t know, Millie-bear,” Julie reached around behind her daughter and thumped Hecate’s shoulder. “I’d think twice if HB invites you to the beach.”

“I wish we could go to the beach sometime. I can’t believe it’s almost time for school to start again. It feels like summer break just started.” Mildred fiddled with the hem of her jumper. “Everything’s going to be different, isn’t it?”

Hecate pulled her eyes away from the night sky and looked at the girl nestled against her side. “In some ways, yes. That can’t be helped. But we’ll manage.” She glanced over the top of Mildred’s head at Julie. The start of school had been the topic of quite a few conversations over the last several days. “Different is good though, isn’t it?”

Hecate started as Pippa pulled her half-eaten s’more out of her hand and laced their fingers together. They’d worked out a schedule of sorts. Their nightly mirror chats would remain, of course. Though now they would take place after Hecate’s last rounds of the evening. They’d alternate weekends between Cackle’s and Pentangle’s. Pippa had even declared that she would take advantage of her more flexible schedule and come to Cackle’s every Wednesday for supper and chess. As pleased as Hecate was with that, really, she would have to scour the library for ancient hexes if Dimity Drill used the phrase ‘conjugal visit’ one more time…

Mildred shifted until she was sitting up and could look at HB properly. “But what about us? At school? You’re my magic mum now, too. Not just my teacher.”

“And that doesn’t change just because term starts. If you need me – for any reason – come to me. If Ethel gets to be too much, if you have a problem with your homework that Maud can’t help you with. Anything. You know where to find me. In private.

“The rest, I’m afraid, is uncharted waters for both of us.” She stared at the glowing coals, pondering how it might work. “Perhaps I’ll contact Ada’s mother and ask how she managed with her daughters. In class I’m afraid I still must be Miss Hardbroom. I can’t show you any favoritism or give you any special treatment.” Her lips quirked into a tiny smile. “I suppose I shall need to be harder on you than ever.”

“Good,” Mildred giggled, snuggling herself back between her mum and HB. “It’s nice to know that some things don’t change.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Again, thanks for coming along for the ride. I've got a couple of prequels in the works and, at some point, it looks like we may have to plan a wedding. And maybe catch up with Rolando BIrdsong.


End file.
